Graphic Error

[MsLoremIpsum]

Has anyone gotten this before/know what should be done (if anything)?

"At least one original filter used for graphics imported by reference
is not available, or the imported file's format has changed. An
alternative filter may be used if the file is recognized as a graphic
Framemaker can import."

The only edit made to the grpahic was the insetion of some text. 



Thanks!

[Art_Campbell]

Some info on what version you're running, what OS and other environment details, and the type of graphic would be helpful...

[MsLoremIpsum]

Oh right...forgot:

Frame 7.0
Windows XP Professional

AI (with some vector, some palces PSD graphics)

I've never worked with AIs like this before...I'm at a new job and am used to importing EPS (for vector and photos).

No other AI files have given thsi error, and even this one didn't until the (AI) text was added.

[Arnis_Gubins]

AI files in the current incarnations are only supported by accident in FM. The internal format of the native AI file is more or less PDF, so FM can translate some of it (it translates PDF to EPS internally for display and output purposes), but there are a lot of features that don't necessarily come through in FM. You may have been lucky to date with not having any complex constructs  in your AI files.

You really need to either save as explicit PDFs or EPS files from AI to work safely in FM, in other words DO NOT IMPORT native AI files.

FM's PSD support is also limited in that it converts whatever colourspace to RGB, and does a lot flattening outside of your control. IIRC, it also may do some resampling to get the resolution down to a set amount, again without any control on your part. If you need to output for press quality, then you must save as EPS (with interlopation turned in PhotoShop) for optimum results with FM.

[MichaelKazlow]

It is too bad that Frame advertises that it works with native AI files. I do suppose its nice to have on the check list, but not when it causes problems. Adobe should either improve the AI import filter or take it off the feature list.

[Art_Campbell]

Since you don't mention what version of Illustrator you're using... you may want to make sure that it's of similar vintage to FM 7.

If it's a newer version, you're pretty clearly off-base in expecting an old and non-supported product to support a newer AI file format or enhancements to the file format that didn't exist when 7 rolled out.

Art

[Van Kurtz]

As far as I know, there is no advantage to saving Illustrator files as AI. One can save them as eps, retaining all the AI editability and making Frame happy at the same time. Use eps and be done with it.

Van

[Dov Isaacs]

Some further clarification of this issue:

(1)     FrameMaker does not really support import of .AI files. However, FrameMaker does support PDF file import (via conversion to EPS internally).

(2)     PDF is not the native file format for .AI files. Unfortunately, some ignorant marketing types at Adobe made such a claim in the Illustrator 8 timeframe and that bubbameiser has been impossible to squelch since then.  What is true is that Illustrator puts private data structures into a PDF file shell. Unless you specify the option for PDF inside the .AI file, opening a .AI file in Acrobat or Reader will simply yield display of a blank page, at best.

(3)     If you attempt to import a .AI file that happened to be saved with the option for PDF, FrameMaker will treat the .AI file as a PDF file for import purposes.

In general, I would not recommend saving a .AI file with the PDF option for a few reasons. The first is that PDF option doesn't provide the full set of PDF joboptions that you would get when saving a .PDF file; who knows what sort of drek you might get in terms of PDF content. It is most likely unsuitable for high quality print or display. The second is that you can't simply click on such a .AI file and open it in Acrobat or Reader. Thus, there is little benefit of using this hybrid file.

          - Dov

[Rob_from_Mustang_land]

I have also recieved the message. All my files are .jpg below 250kbs. The message does not explain that thousands of files have passed muster. No explanation.

[Rob_from_Mustang_land]

My messages re filters do not seem related to AI files at all.

[Bob_Niland]

> My messages re filters do not seem related to AI files at all.

We see these routinely when opening our FM7.1/Unix files on FM9/Windows.

My guess is that they are caused by this markup (as seen in MIFs):

<ImportHint `0001FRAMEPSIUNIX

'>

Windows Frame sees that and says to itself: oh, I might not be able to handle this, I'd better throw a dialog.

I suspect there are some cases where there might actually be a problem, such as opening an old Unix.fm document containing imported Sun.rf images on Windows, but in general they are harmless (but they need to be cleared by re-save or they can fail some operations that require error-free opens).